Can-soldering machine.



'Nm 741,222.- PATENTED 00T. 13, 190s.

w. CAMERON.

om SGLDBRING MACHINE. APPLIGATIOK FILED APR. 16, 1903.

"me NoRms evans co. pHoro-uma.,'wasnmawm nv c PATENTED OCT. 13, 1,903.

W. CAMERON. GAN SOLDERING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 16, 1903.

HEETS-SHEET 2.

.N0 IODEL.

n "azl 4 w L @f .4 Q A UNITED STATES Patented October 13, 1903.

PATENT EETEE.

VCAN-SOLDERING MACHINE.

SEECIFICATION forming' part 0f Letters Patent N 0. 741,222, dated October 13, 1903.

Application led April 16, 1903.

To @LZ w/tom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM CAMERON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Can-Soldering Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a machine for soldering the side or longitudinal seams of can-bodies and is of that typey in which the can-bodies are fed or conveyed horizontally over a body of molten solder with their seam sides down and the solder is applied to the seams from said body of solder.

The object of the invention is to provide an efiicient can-soldering machine of simple construction, having reliable means for raising the level of the body of molten solder at a point beneath the seams of the cans into contact with the seams. In the accompanying drawings, consisting of two sheets, Figure l is a side elevation of a can-soldering machine embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional elevation thereof. Fig. 4 is a transverse section thereof in line 4,- 4, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a transverse section thereof, on an enlarged scale, in line 5 5, Fig. l. Fig. 6 is a detail section, on an enlarged scale, of the yielding connection between the sol der-plun ger and its operatingrod.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

The main frame of the machine may be of any suitable construction adapted to support the operating parts of the machine. The frame shown consists of upright transverselyarranged standards a, which are preferably connected by suitable horizontal rails or bars, and a horizontal bed d2, which is supported at its front end by the rear standard d and at its rear end by a frame or standard d3, which is a part of the frame of the can-body-forming machine in connection with Which the soldering-machine is used. VThe solderingmachine, howeveigmay be operated independently of a body-forming machine.

B represents the horn of the soldering-machine, or th e'horizontal support which the canbodies surround and along which they are conveyed or fed past the soldering device.

Serial No. 152.867. (No model.)

The horn shown consists of two parallel bars l), which are spaced by blocks b', arranged at intervals between the bars, which latter are connected by bolts passing through the same and the spacing-blocks b. lThe horn is supported at its front end preferably bya roller c, j ournaled between the front ends of the hornbars and resting upon the circumference of a roller d, journaled in bearings on the front standard a. rlhe -rear end of the horn is supported by and detachably connected to the front end of the part c2, which constitutes the forming-horn or mandrel of the can-bodyforming machine and which is secured to the frame d3 of the forming-machine. The canbodies, as usual, are fed horizontally forward from the forming-horn onto the solderinghorn and pass off of the front end of the latterbetween the rollers c e', which support the front end of the soldering-horn. The `horn may be constructed and supported in any other suitable manner.

The can-bodies are fed or conveyed longitudinally along the soldering-horn by any suitable conveyer. The conveyer shown in the drawings isconstructed and operated as follows:

D represents two horizontal rods which are arranged at opposite sides of and parallel with the horn. The rods are preferably cylindrical and are' supported on grooved rollers CZ, journaled on shafts supported by brackets d', which are preferably adjustable vertically, for which purpose they are vertically movable in sockets d2 on the standards a of the main frame and are secured in the position to which they are adjusted by set-screws or the like, (Z3. This manner of supporting the rods enables the latter to be adjusted vertically to the proper position relative to the horn or to horns of different diameter. The conveyer-bars are rigidly connected at or near their front and rear ends by yokes E, which are provided with downwardly-bent or depressed central portions passing under the solderinghorn. Y

F represents feed-bars which are secured to blocks f, which rest upon horizontal sid-e portions of the yokes E, upon which they are adjustable transversely to properly position the feed-bar relative to the soldering-horn or to soldering horns of different diameters.

IOO

The lblocks are secured when adjusted by bolts f', which pass through elongated slots in the blocks and engage in threaded holes in the yokes. Each feed-bar preferably consists of an upper and lower strip secured together, the adjacent faces of the strips being slotted to provide openings for pivoted feeddogs G. Each feed-baris provided with a series of these feed-dogs which are pivoted at their outer ends in the openings in the feedbar and project inwardly and forwardly there from. The inner ends of the dogs are yieldingly pressed toward the horn, so as to engage the rear ends of the can-bodies, by suitable springs g, connected at their opposite ends to pins secured to the dogs and to the feed-bars. Each feed-bar is also provided at its rear end with hooked pivoted strippingfingers h, which are pressed toward the horn by springs h' and which are adapted to engage the rear end of the can-body on the forming-horn and remove the same from the forming-horn, leaving it in a position to be engaged by the first set of feed-dogs.

The conveyer-frame, consisting of the bars D and yokes E, is reciprocated to feed the can-bodies along the horn as follows: I represents a drive-shaft which is driven by suitable means(not shown)and is j ournaled transversely of the machine in bearings on the standard a3. The drive-shaft is provided with a gear-wheel z', which meshes with and drives a gear-wheel i', secured to a counter-shaft 2, j ournaled in bearings depending from the bed a2 of the machine. The counter-shaft is provided at one end with a crank-disk i3, the wrist-pin of which is connected by a pitman 4 to a stud projecting from the adjacent side rod D of the conveyer-frame. Vhen the conveyer-frame is moved forwardly, the pivoted dogs on the feed-bars engage the rear ends of are weighted sufficiently to hold their front ends up above the top of the horn. Vhen the can-bodies are moved forwardly, they pass over the retaining-dogs,which yield,and when their rear endsclear the dogs the front ends of the dogs are raised by their weighted rear ends and engage the rear ends of the canbodies. i

K represents the acid or iiuX applying device, consisting of an acid pot or receptacle 7c, supported by the bed a2, and an acid-wheel 7c', which dips into the acid or flux in the receptacle and applies the same to the can-body seams as the bodies pass over the acid-wheel.

The wheel is journaled on a pivoted lever, which is adjusted to cause the wheel to bear with the'proper pressure against the seam, by an adjusting-screw 7a2. Any other suitable means for applying the acid or flux to the seams may be employed. f

L represents the solder box or receptacle, which is arranged beneath the horn in front of the aciding device and contains a body of solder which is kept in a molten condition by any suitable heating means. (Not shown.) The solder-receptacle is preferably of rectangular vform and is supported on the standards a of the main frame by suitable adjustingscrews l, which pass through threaded holes in lateral lugs on the solder-receptacle and bear on the tops of the standards a. By adjusting the screws Z the solder-receptacle can be raised or lowered to the proper elevation relative to the soldering-horn. The solderreceptacle is also preferably provided at each end with horizontal adj usting-screws Z', which pass through threaded holes in depending iianges on the solder receptacle and abut against the vertical faces of the standard. These screws prevent longitudinal movement of the solder-receptacle and enable the same to be fixed in the correct position-longitudinally of the soldering-horn.

M represent-s the soldering iron or device for applying the solder to the canseams. The soldering-iron is arranged in the solderreceptacle beneath and parallel with the soldering-horn, and when the machine is in operation the soldering-iron is nearly entirely submerged inthe molten solder. Its top edge or face, which projects slightly above the top of the solder-receptacle, is narrow and preferably convexed or rounded slightly, so that the solder will not stand thereon, and the upper portion of the soldering-iron is preferably tapered, as shown in Fig. 5. The soldering-iron is provided in its rear portion with a longitudinal solder-chamber lm. The latter communicates with the solder-receptacle by means of one or more lateral solder-inlet holes fm in the rear end portion of the soldering-iron, so that the molten solder can pass through said holes into the solder-chamber in the iron. The soldering-iron is also provided in its upper portion with one or more (preferably a plurality) elongated narrow slots m2, which extend through the upper -portion of the iron and connect with the solder-chamber fm. Each of these slots is preferably somewhat shorter than the length of a can-body, and they are so positioned in relation to the horn and conveyer that when the can-bodies are stationary the upper end of each slot is covered and closed by a can-body. N represents a plunger which iits and is adapted to reciprocate in the rear end portion of the solder-chamber in the soldering-iron. NVhen the plunger is moved rearwardly, it uncovers the solder-inlet holes m', so that the solder enters the solder-chamber in the iron and rises in the latter and slots m2 until it lOO IIO

reaches the level of the solder in the receptaele. When the plunger is moved forwardly, it closes the solder-inlet holes m/ and forces the solder in the chamber up through the slots in the top of the soldering-iron and against the seams of thc can-bodies located above said slots, thus applying solder to the seams. The solder is applied simultaneously to several seams, and as the bodies are only moved from one slot to the next at each forward movement of the conveyer the solder is applied at each seam two or more times, according to the number of slots in the soldering-iron and the number of reciprocations of the plunger. This insures a perfect soldei1` ing of each seam. The plunger may bc reciprocated in any suitable manner. In the construction shown the plunger passes through a bearingbox n on the rear end of the solder-receptacle and is connected by anV enters a cam-groove in the face of the gearwheel i', secured to the counter-shaft The slide is rcciprocated by the cam-groove and through the described connections reciprocates the solder-plunger. The movements of the plunger are so timed that the plunger is moved forwardly to force the solder up through the slots in the soldering-iron against the seams of the canbodies only when the latter are stationary and occupy positions over said slots, and the plunger can be reciprocated-once for each one, two, or more movements of the conveyer, as found most expedient. As the slots are shorter than the lengths of the can-bodies, as before explained, the slots are completely closed by the bodies and no solder enters the interiors of the canbodies. If any solder is forced out sidewise between the soldering-iron andthe can-bodies, it will flow down the tapered upper portion of the iron into the solder-receptacle.

In order to prevent undue pressure on the solderin the chamberof the solderingdron and to lessen the possibility of the solder being forced out between the can-bodies and the soldering-iron the operating-rod for the plunger has a yielding connection with the stem of the plunger. The stem of the plunger is provided in its outer end with a longitudinal hole. The end of the connecting-rod enters the hole in the outer end of the plunger-stem and is provided with a cross-pin q, working in elongated slots in the plunger stem. A coiled spring Q is arranged in the hole in the plungerstem and abuts at one end against the end of said hole and at its other end against the cross-pin of the connecting-rod. By this arrangement the plunger is moved forwardly through the medium of the spring and is adapted to yield and is moved rearwardly by the engagement of the cross-pin of the connecting-rod with the ends of the slots in the plunger stem. A yielding connection between the plunger and its operating means may ber el'ljected in any other suitable manner.

The forward end of the soldering-iron is preferably solid and acts to sweat the solder into the seams; but a separate sweating-iron vcan be used, if desired or found necessary.

R represents the burnishcr or device for wiping and burnishing the solder on the seams after the bodies leave the soldering device. The burnisher shown consists of a wheelR, of suitable material, journaled on a pivoted lever 9, which is adjusted to press the wheel against the can-body by an adjusting-screw r'. Any other means for this purpose may be employed.

I claim as my inventionl. In a can-soldering machine, the combination of a support for the can-body, a body of molten solder, a soldering -iron provided with a solder-chamber and an opening in communication with the body of molten solder and in which the solderis held normally out of contact with the seam of the can-body, and a plunger working in said solder-chamber to force the solder through said opening into contact with the seam of the can-body, substantially as set forth.

2. In a can-soldering machine, the combination of a support for the can-body, a body of molten solder, a soldering-iron provided with a solderchamber and with one or more openings in communication with the body of molten solder and in which the solder is held normally out of contact with the seam of the can-body, and a plunger working in said solderchamber and which intermittently forces the solder through said opening or openings into contact with the seam of the can-body, substantially as set forth.

3. In a can-soldering machine, the combi nation of a support for the can-body, a body of molten solder arranged beneath said support, a soldering-iron arranged beneath said support in said body of solder, said solderingiron having a solderchamber, and a slot in its upper portion communicating with said solder-chamber, an inlet-opening for the solder connecting with said solder-chamber, and a plunger workin g in said solder-chamber and acting to force the solder up through said slot into contact with the seam of the can, substantially as set forth.

fi. In a can-soldering machine, the combination of a support for the can-bodies, a body of molten solder arranged beneath said support, a soldering-iron arranged in said solder beneath said support and provided with a longitudinal solder-chamber and with a series of slots extending through the upper portion 0f said soldering -iron and communicating with said solder-chamber, an inlet-opening for the solder connecting with said solder- IOO IIO

chamber, and a reciprocating plunger Working in said solder-chamber and acting to force the solder through said slots into contact with the seams of the can-bodies, substantially as set forth.

5. In a can-soldering machine, the combination of a support for the can-bodies, a solder-receptacle arranged beneath said support, a soldering-iron arranged beneath said support in said solder-receptacle, and having a solder-chamber and a slot communicating With said solder-chamber, said iron having an inlet-opening for the solder communicatingwith said solder-chamber and With said solder-receptacle, and a plunger Working in said solder-chamber and acting to open and close said inlet-opening and force the solder through said slots into contact With the seam of the cairbody, substantially as set forth.

6. In a can-soldering machine, the combination of a support for the can-body, a body of molten solder, a soldering-iron provided With a solder-chamber, a slot communicating` With said chamber, and an inlet-opening for the solder connecting` with said solder-chamber, a plunger Working in said solder-cham ber for forcing the solder through said slot into contact with the seam of the can-body, and a conveyor for said can-body whereby the can-body is held stationary While the solder is being applied thereto and is then moved, substantially as set forth.

'7. In a can-soldering machine, the combi nation of a support for the can-body, a soldering-iron provided With a solder-chamber, a slot communicating With Said solder chamber, and an inlet-opening for the solder connecting with said soldercha1nber, a reciprocating plunger in said solder chamber for forcing the solder through said slot into contact with the seam of the can-body, a con- Veyer for the can-body, and operating means for said plunger so timed With respect to said conveyer that the solder is forced against the can-body While the same is stationary, substantially as set forth.

8. In a can-soldering machine, the combination With a support for the can-body, a solder-receptacle, a soldering-iron arranged beneath said support in said solder-receptacle and having a solderchamber, a slot colnmunicating with said solder-chamber, and an inlet-openin g for the solder connecting With said solder chamber, a plunger in said solderchamber for forcing the solder through said slot into contact with the seam of the canbody, and operating means for said plunger including a yielding connection,substantially as set forth.

. Witness my hand this 13th day of April, 1903.

VILLIAM CAMERON.

Vitnesses:

LELAND A. BABcocK, GEORGE C. EDWARDS. 

